The Catalyst
by writerjunkie
Summary: Santana is trying to get her life together after the death of her wife, but while she's finally starting to get things together, life seems to have other plans for her. The last thing she wanted was to be reassigned, but meeting Marley had been not what she expected. (Santana/Marley)


Ms. Pillsbury hung up her phone feeling a flare of uneasiness clenching her chest. She sighed, brushing away a piece of orange hair from her eyes. The call had went nothing like she expected, but the entire case had been unusual to begin with. Her client, seated across from her, showed little concern to her flustered expression.

"O-Okay, then, in recent light of your current situation, it has been decided you are to be reassigned." said.

She watched her client keep her head down and her shoulders hunched. The silence between them unsettling. had her last several cases like this. An increase of messy divorces leaving her her clients bitter and speechless. This was her third case this week, but none were this serve. Ms. Pillsbury had been called out of her meeting yesterday afternoon to meet with the head of the Social Worker's department for a debriefing. It was a case she couldn't refuse. Ms. Pillsbury cleared her throat, a faltering smile back in place, and clutched two pens in her hand to put back into her cup holder.

"I understand this must be difficult for you. But I promise, I'll do the best I can to help resolve the situation."

Her client shifted. Her cerulean blue eyes now focused on the window beside her and her brows fixed into a scowl.

"When do I move in?" She whispered, pushing a piece of brown hair from her face.

Ms. Pillsbury sifted through the pile of papers on her desk:

"Uh, well, considering it is short notice I'd say give or take a month maybe sooner."

Her client scoffed:

"That's not... I'm a lower status. It could take more than a month."

aimlessly shuffled her papers. She read through the file six times. She knew how the system worked, how things were required to run to make things smooth. The Life-Long Partners Placement Tests or LPPT, were what everyone's social status was based off of at the age of 21. An undesirable, as Ms. Pillsbury's co-workers called it, made it much more difficult to reassign her another partner. Ms. Pillsbury couldn't bring her back to the same situation. She couldn't live with that. Ms. Pillsbury closed her folder, enlisting her clients case.

"I... I'm sorry. I'll come up with something. I just need more time." She clarified. "As you know, divorce is rarely granted, but your case has been an exception. However, retesting for the LPPT is an entirely different program with limited spots and special requirements."

Her client scoffed, gripping a hand over her left wrist and pulled down the sleeve to her right hand. Ms. Pillsbury caught the sight of bruises around her wrist. She gulped.

"Where will I stay?" The client said, her voice feeble and soft.

Ms. Pillsbury scooted closer to her desk.

"The agency has temporary housing for you free of charge. We can have your things moved in within 24 hours." She said.

"What about work?" The client reminded.

The client finally faced her. Her eyes teary and filled with sorrow. felt a pang of pity tug at the bottom of her stomach. Hard work for the lower class had been all they knew as they couldn't afford to rest or that meant less food for their family. Luckily for this client, the two assigned had no children and that meant less of a complication to deal with.

smiled, glad to deliver some positive news for a change. And one she fought to allow given the circumstances.

"After much debate, you've been granted two weeks of paid vacation. You'll also be seeing a therapist to help your recovery, and allowed an extra month to form a bond with your new selected partner."

Realistically, they both knew, two weeks wouldn't be enough to heal. How could a system fix any of this to begin with? An assigned partner was the reason she was in this mess. It was a choice made by a computer, much how it decided her job, her education, the person she'd marry, and was supposed to be the love of her life. Despite the computers error to put her into this it wasn't about to take her out of it.

"I understand your husband was your dominant and misused his authority. Any additional therapy is free after the two weeks." Ms. Pillsbury said.

Misused had been putting it lightly. Subs and doms made up 6 percent of the population. But many things, such as sexual preferences had been put into consideration with classifying and selecting life partners.

"Your trial with Mr. Lynn is pending, but you will be notified when it's finally been put into court. Do you have any questions Ms. Rose?"

Ms. Pillsbury watched her blink, her gaze unfocused. Slowly, she smiled. At least she no longer shared a name with him.

"Marley?" said.

She broke from her thoughts.

"No."

Santana entered the kitchen with her tablet in hand and picked up a piece of toast set on the counter. Her roommate, Quinn worked over the stove, finishing a stack of pancakes. Santana took a bite of her toast and placed it down to pick up her coat from the closet. Quinn finished serving the pancakes on a plate when she walked over to the table.

"Santana, I'm making breakfast. Eat something for once." Quinn complained.

Santana paused at the door:

"I have a big day at the firm. I'll pick up something on the way to the office."

Quinn rolled her eyes with an exaggerated sigh:

"I'm sure you can spare ten minutes to eat."

Fine." Santana said.

She sat at the table and Quinn slide a plate over to her her own. Santana put her tablet on the table. Quinn served herself and cut into her eggs first. Santana reached over the table, snagging Quinn's toast and ignored her large as she took a bite.

"The agency called yesterday." Quinn said.

Santana scowled:

"They do that every day. They just wanna know if I've been dating."

The agency had been persistent, even more so than Santana trying to ignore them. Quinn would pick up the calls and cover for her or screen the calls to have the message machine take it. Work had been a great excuse and distraction for Santana as of late.

"They don't want you to end up alone." Quinn informed.

"It's been two years. No one gets over something like that in two years." Santana argued.

Quinn knew arguing with Santana was useless when she was so stubborn, but there had been time Quinn had been as stubborn depending on the subject. She figured something like this was best left with Santana and the agency. She had done what she could to help Santana cope and while working herself into exhaustion isn't ideal it's an improvement to her last state two years ago.

"They're still going to have the system sort you out." Quinn said. "The mourning grace period is eight months."

"I'm aware Q. I get the spam emails." Santana said.

Santana finished her eggs and bacon before pushing the plate away. Quinn quickly gobbled up her bacon as she saw Santana reach over to snag it as she had finished her own. Santana took her tablet.

"I have to go." She said, rushing out the front door before Quinn could say anything.

Kurt awaited Santana behind his desk outside her office. He smiled seeing her walk down the hall with her bag. He pulled up Santana's schedule on his computer.

"Good morning Santana. Today's agenda has been left at your desk. Your first meeting of the day starts in 30 minutes." He greeted.

"Much appreciated Lady Lips." She said, before closing her office door.

Kurt huffed before turning back to his computer.

Marley knew her mother would be devastated and she would blame herself for forcing Marley to try and make things work with a man she knew nothing about. Marley had made sure she had not the slightest idea who Ryder was. A foolish act done out of fear. But the choice of her life partner had been nothing but the government's fault and its computer that for some reason thought it was suitable she be stuck in a waitress job and Ryder a mechanic. While he brought more money it was not enough for their small studio apartment. How a standardized test could make a person's entire life a living hell was beyond her, but everyone believed it. At least most people and at one point she did too. When she returned to the studio it was barren and the guards mentioned early waited for her to relocate her to the government housing complexes. It was a two hour drive from her old place, but the distance was comforting. Marley didn't have to worry about Ryder going out of his way to find her.

"Mom, please I'm okay." Marley said, approaching Ms. Rose on the couch.

dabbed away her tears with her tissue and exhaled:

"I-I'm worried sweetheart. What if he - "

"He's been relocated and his things moved out while I was gone." Marley said.

Ms. Rose nodded, somewhat at peace.

"And what about you? They'll let you take your placements again?" Ms. Rose asked.

"The best they can do is a month long waiting list to be reassigned." Marley said. "I'm on two week paid vacation."

"But that isn't... How can that help any one? You shouldn't be alone." Ms. Rose questioned.

Retaking a placement test had been allowed to only five people. The government wouldn't explain why, not wanting to admit such a defeat. Their placement test failed? How could that be? The best that could happen for Marley was to be reassigned to a man that would be more understanding. Like Jake, before their placements they dated and he had been what Marley hoped to marry until he cheated on her. It had been something she couldn't deal with and they broke up.

"Please mom, I've had a long day. I'm exhausted." Marley said.

nodded:

"Of course dear, I'll be here, as quiet as a mouse. Call me if you need anything."

Marley fumbled into her bed, rolled on her side, and weeped.

"Hummel, drinks are on me tonight." Santana said.

Kurt smiled, watching her head toward her office.

"Oh, what's the occasion?"

"I've just been offered a full time job at the firm." Santana said.

Kurt noticed the elevator open and a woman with shoulder length hair made her way toward them.

"Um, excuse me, Ms. Lopez?"

Santana turned around, a brow raised:

"Yes?"

The woman stiffly smiled and clutched her purse.

"My name is Emma Pillsbury. I'm a social worker for those in need of reassignments. May I have a word with you?"

Santana's jaw went slack before she contained herself and curtly nodded:

"Right this way."

Santana led Ms. Pillsbury to her office.

"I apologize for the short notice, but I've been trying to get in contact with you all day." Ms. Pillsbury apologized, as she sat in the chair across from Santana's desk. "You're quite a difficult woman to find."

Santana smiled and shrugged:

" I live one busy life. What can I do for you?"

"I'm working a reassignment case, as you know. My client has been put into our foster system and you're the uh… Lucky winner, so to speak." said.

Sananta froze. Ms. Pillsbury awkwardly smiled, looking down at her clutched purse.

"Hold on, I'm - no, there's no way. There has to be some sort of mistake. I didn't volunteer to foster anyone." Santana stuttered.

Ms. Pillsbury shrugged:

"Well, those selected are ones that have not been assigned for a long time and our system indicated it has been two years since the death of your wife."

Santana's face filled with sorrow. She never fully spoke about what it was she was going through. At least not since she first got the news and the funeral was over. Santana straightened her stance and her arms folded over her chest.

"I can't handle this case. I'm not suitable for this type of situation." She said.

"On the contrary Ms. Lopez, you are the most compatible. My client is in current need of a partner and she's a submissive. As you know, people of those particular sexual practices make up — "

"I'm aware." Santana retorted, with a glare.

nodded and rested her hands on to her lap:

"I'm only here to inform you of your placement. I will be arriving tomorrow at your home to hand you the papers to sign as well as the client's files. I highly recommend you read through it as it is a sensitive case to be handed with care. Have a good day Ms. Lopez."

stood and let herself out. Santana leaned back into her chair with a groan of frustration. She pressed her intercom button.

"Kurt, I need to cancel those celebratory drinks."


End file.
